When author Stephen Bradlee queried me to see if
I would be interested in reviewing Falling in
Love, I was a bit hesitant. The premise of the
story sounded intriguing, but I was concerned
that a story about a young woman who was
addicted to sex might turn out to be hardcore
erotica, which isn't one of my genres. My
concern was unwarranted, however. The real story
was the tragedy of Sherry Johnson, abused,
abandoned, and unloved as a child, who grew up
in a vicious cycle of fear and self-loathing
that continually led to greater and greater
degradation and despair as she tried desperately
to find love through alcohol and sex.

In the prologue, the author claimed that the
story was based on interviews that he had with
the real "Sherry Johnson." Whether that's true
or if the interviews were a plot device to
introduce the story doesn't matter--it's a very
dramatic, well-told narrative with a hard
emotional impact. It's likely that many readers
know someone who--like Sherry--is trapped in a
self-destructive behavior, be it alcohol, drugs,
or sex, and cannot move forward in their life.
The big question throughout the book was whether
Sherry could learn to love herself and gain the
self respect that would give her a chance to
live a normal life. Surprisingly, she would
eventually find a measure of redemption in an
activity she excelled at as a child, but even
that might not be enough to save her.

As compelling as the storyline was, the
characters really made the story come to life.
Sherry was a sympathetic figure, even if I did
want to kick her sometimes for taking that first
drink that always led to waking up in a
stranger's bedroom with a killer hangover.
Elaine, Sherry's mother's childhood friend, was
a unique character, and the dark secrets that
she guarded could hold the key to Sherry's
salvation, but she wasn't talking. Paul was a
good guy, and Sherry was convinced that he was
"Mr. Right," but her sordid past came back to
haunt her. And for many months, her best friend
was Artie... but you'll have to read about Artie
yourself.

Highly recommended reading.

Note: The author sent me a prepublication copy
of this book with a request for an honest,
unbiased review.